Bubble guns



June 24, 1958 R. A. LATHROP BUBBLE GUNS" Filed May 2'7, 1957 J5 Z 0116 ya Unitsd. Stew a miQ" 2,839,868 181mm GUNS Richard A. Lathrop, Chicago, Ill.

Application May 27, 1957, Serial No. 661,850

3 Claims. (Cl. 468) My invention relates to toys in the nature of bubble producing devices. These usually involve a support for a gelatinous film and means to blow a jet of air against the film, this action causing the formation of a number of balloon-like bubbles. Devices for this purpose also have been made in the form of a small pistol or gun, with means incorporated to procure the support of the gelatinous film and produce the air jet previously referred to. However, such devices as have come to my attention are quite involved, containing special reservoirs for the gelatinous liquid and other mechanical contrivances for producing the air jet, so that a device so constructed becomes expensive to produce. In order to depart from this condition, it is the primary object of the present invention to produce a bubble gun which is so simple that its cost is very small.

A further object is to design the novel bubble gun in the form of two units which are quickly assembled and of exceeding simplicity.

Another object is to employ a hollow gun which is compressible to produce the air jet without the aid of special or separate means to compress the air.

An additional object is to provide a support for the gelatinous film which is large enough at one end to produce a series of good-sized bubbles, yet small enough at the other end for attachment to the muzzle of the gun.

A still further object is to utilize the form of a spiral in the design of the support referred toabove, in order to make the same in one piece.

With the above objects in view, a better understanding of the invention may be had by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which- Fig. 1 is 'a side elevation of the toy;

Fig. 2 is a front view, as seen from the left-hand side of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a side view showing the manner in which the toy picks up the gelatinous film.

In accordance with the foregoing, specific reference to the drawing indicates the gun portion of the toy at 10. The same is of a plastic material and hollow, the material being compressible; and the muzzle 11 of the gun is extended with a nipple 12 having an orifice 13 from which the air jet issues when the handle 14 of the gun is squeezed. It follows now that the release of pressure on such handle will allow the gun to draw a filling of air by way of the orifice 13, so that the action of discharging the air jet may be repeated.

As was previously mentioned, the impact of an air jet with a gelatinous film will'cause the formation of a number of balloon-like bubbles, and the support for the gelatinous film in the present instance is in the form of a ring 20 which is designed to be positioned at a suitable distance in front of the gun orifice 13, as indicated in Fig. l.

The ring 20 constitutes the front end of a spiral spring 21 which tapers in rearward direction to terminate with a coil 23 whose diameter therefore is considerably smaller 2,839,868 Patented June 24, 1958 than that of the, ring 20. The spring is of light wire and in a single piece; and its coil 23 seats in one or more'of a series of grooves or indentations '25 pressed or molded in the muzzle 11 of the gun, this connection securing a firm support of the spring 21 by the gun 10.

The bubble forming liquid is generally sold in bottles. Fig. 3 shows that a shallow filling of the liquid 27 may be poured into the cap 28 of such a bottle. The internal diameter of the cap is suitable for dipping the ring 20 of the toy into the liquid 27, as shown, this action causing the ring to pick up a film of the gelatinous liquid. The toy is now ready for use when held in any position, but preferably pointed forwardly, as shown in Fig. l. Squeezing the handle 14 while the gun 10 is held in the hand will now discharge an air jet against the gelatinous film in the ring 20 with the result that a number of balloon-like bubbles will be formed and projected in various directions. I have found that the comparatively large size of the ring 20 and its illustrated distance from the orifice 13 will produce a series of large bubbles, while making the ring smaller or placing it closer to the orifice is productive of smaller bubbles.

The invention has a number of features of importance. Thus, the gun 10 is of a type well known for ejecting a water stream by an action identical with that described for'producing the air jet. Thus, no new construction need be devised to create or construct means for producing the air jet. Further, the spring 21 contains both the gelatinous film support at the front and the attaching means for the gun at the rear, all in one piece. Further, the taperedform of the spring 21 creates the large ring 20 at the front end at a desirable distance for receiving the air jet, while providing the much smaller coil 23 suitable for engaging the frontal portion of the gun muzzle 11. Further, the spring 21 is suitable for making the ring 20 in a complete circle while constituting the rear coil 23 with an inherent gripping faculty to firmly engage the muzzle 11 without the need of special or separate attaching means. Further, the muzzle may be made with the grooves or indentations 25 in the original form, so that no extra parts or operations are necessary to produce such grooves or indentations. Finally, it is apparent that the toy involves nothing more than the spring 21 and the gun 10, which are in a one-piece assembly fully suited for the intended use.

While I have described the invention along specific lines,'various minor changes or refinements may be made therein without departing from its principle, and I reserve the right to employ all such changes and refinements as may come within the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A bubble forming device comprising a hollow toy gun presenting a muzzle formed with an orifice, the gun being compressible to eject an air jet from said orifice, and a carrier for a bubble-forming film, said carrier being mounted on the muzzle of the gun with the film in the path of said air jet, said carrier being a coil spring expanding in outward direction, and the inner end coil of the spring being wound around said muzzle with gripping engagement.

2. A bubble forming device comprising a hollow toy gun presenting a muzzle formed with an orifice, the gun being compressible to eject an air jet from said orifice; and a carrier for a bubble-forming film, said carrier being mounted on the muzzle of the gun with the film in the path of said air jet, said muzzle having grooves, said carrier being a coil spring expanding in outward direction, and the inner end coil of the spring being wound around the muzzle and lodged in said grooves with gripping engagement.

3. A bubble forming device comprising a hollow toy gun presenting a muzzle forgned with an orifice, the gun being compressible to eject an air jet from said orifice, and a carrier'for a bubble-forming film, saidcarrier being mounted on the muzzle of the gun with the film in the path of said'air jet, said rnuzzle having an annular groove, said carrier-being a coilspring expanding in outward direction, and the inner end coil of the spring being wound around the muzzle and lodged in said groove with gripping engagement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

